Looking to get into a new line of work or just make some extra money? The ride-sharing service Uber touts that a career with them is all you need. Unfortunately, the company has been named as a defendant in a number of lawsuits across the country alleging violations of wage and hour laws.
One such suit was recently filed in federal court in Newark, New Jersey, as a class action brought on behalf of Uber and Uber X drivers. Although not explicitly set forth, the crux of the plaintiffs’ claim appears to be that they were improperly classified as independent contractors instead of employees and that, as a result, Uber violated the New Jersey Wage and Hour Law and the New Jersey Wage Payment Law in a number of ways. Specifically, the drivers allege that they worked in excess of 40 hours per week but were not paid overtime and that they were not reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses such as gas, tolls and mobile phone service, among other things.
Uber faces similar lawsuits in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, and Texas. In addition, the company has just agreed to a $100 million settlement in a similar suit in California. Uber is also defending another New Jersey case based on alleged violations of the Fair Credit Reporting Act involving employee credit reports.
If you believe that you are being denied wages or overtime pay or otherwise improperly classified as an independent contractor instead of employee, you should contact experienced employment attorneys like those at Lenzo & Reis, LLC.